Li Jifu (李吉甫) (758 – November 18, 814[1]), courtesy name Hongxian (弘憲), formally Duke Zhongyi of Zhao (趙忠懿公), was a Chinese cartographer, historian, and politician during the Tang dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Xianzong.
[3] His grandfather Li Zai (李載) was not recorded to have carried any official titles, but his father Li Qiyun (李栖筠) was a prominent official during the reign of Emperor Suzong's son Emperor Daizong and served as chief imperial censor, carrying the title of Duke of Zanhuang.
[4] Later, in addition to his Taichang Boshi title, Li Jifu was also made Tuntian Yuanwailang (屯田員外郎), a low-level official at the ministry of public works (工部, Gongbu); he later became Jiabu Yuanwailang (駕部員外郎), a low-level official at the ministry of rite (禮部, Lǐbu).
Previously, after four successive prefects had died, the fort that served as headquarters of Rao Prefectures had been abandoned as there were rumors that it was cursed.
When Li Jifu arrived, he removed the thorns that had grown up around the fort and moved in with no ill consequences, and the people were comforted.
[2] However, it was also said that Li Jifu, around that time, falsely accused fellow chancellor Zheng Yin of leaking secrets to the warlord Lu Congshi (盧從史), the military governor of Zhaoyi Circuit (昭義, headquartered in modern Changzhi, Shanxi), and that Emperor Xianzong did not act against Zheng only after the accusation was shown to be unreasonable by the imperial scholar Li Jiang.
The officials that Emperor Xianzong put in charge of the examinations, Yang Yuling (楊於陵) and Wei Guanzhi ranked them high.
[2][4][6] While Li Jifu was at Huainan, it was said that he built Pingjin Dam (平津堰) and two ponds named Furen (富人) and Guben (固本), for irrigation purposes.
When the Yangtze-Huai region suffered a great drought, particularly hurting Li Jifu's neighboring circuits Zhexi (浙西, headquartered in modern Zhenjiang) and Zhedong (浙東, headquartered in modern Shaoxing, Zhejiang), the central government agencies in charge did not act, and it was only after an extensive report by Li Jifu that Emperor Xianzong ordered disaster relief.
[7] He was also given the additional titles of Jinzi Guanglu Daifu (金紫光祿大夫), Shang Zhuguo (上柱國), and imperial scholar of Jixian Palace.
However, it was also said that soon after his return to chancellorship, fellow chancellor Li Fan was removed, and Pei Ji was further demoted, due to his machinations.
[7] In 811, also at Li Jifu's recommendation – as Li Jifu pointed out that the imperial princes, due to various restrictions, were having difficulty finding appropriate husbands for their daughters and getting the marriages approved – Emperor Xianzong created many princes' daughters ladies and ordered the government agencies to find appropriate gentlemen for them to marry.
By Li JIfu's recommendation, the headquarters of Zhangyi's neighbor Heyang Circuit (河陽, then-headquartered in modern Jiaozuo, Henan), which was under imperial control and which was stationed in order to protect the eastern capital Luoyang from Weibo, was moved to Ru Prefecture (汝州, in modern Pingdingshan, Henan), to prepare for action against Zhangyi.
Emperor Xianzong was displeased and exiled Zhang, but subsequently changed Li Jifu's posthumous name to Zhongyi ("faithful and benevolent").
He also compiled a number of historical events from the Eastern Han, Cao Wei, Jin, Northern Zhou, and Sui, commenting on their successes and failures and the reasons, into a 30-volume work known as the Summaries of the Six Dynasties (六代略).